08/15/2006 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 8/15/2006 and also would be able to handle the legal proceedings if we go past impasse. Or two persons or firms could be used-one potentially not a lawyer negotiating at the table; and, if it can't be resolved and goes to impasse, then a second person who is a lawyer picking up from there. With regard to the labor law issue, Mayor O'Grady commented that he and the Law Director have been in conversation with regard to these issues for months. From the start, they decided to coordinate their efforts to do things as efficiently as possible. Regarding Suburban Auto, he realizes this is a frustrating issue for the neighboring residents. It is important to him the residents do not get the sense that their administration is not serving them or that the Law Dept. is not working an their behalf. A great effort has been made with regard to this particular issue, including direct contacts between our Building Dept. and the EPA, meetings that predate last week's committee meeting and the meeting between the Law Dept. and the Building Dept. on specifically these issues. He asked the residents to look at it from the standpoint that they do have an administration that is working on their behalf and from the standpoint that they have a business owner who is working on their behalf. The job is not yet done, but it is a very different scenario from someone who is ignoring us. If a business owner came in here, made promises that were not kept, and then ignored us, the administration would have acted. But that's not the case. What has happened is the business owner has met with residents, listened and understood the problems. These are not inconveniences; they are health issues. He knows that and has taken action. At considerable expense, he replaced doors on the paint facilities. We need to be patient, and the clock needs to restart. As of July 27 when the doors were installed, we need to give him another chance. We believe there are still odors. He recognizes that there is a problem. Safety Director Terbrack has been in regular contact with the Building Dept. and the property owner. There are additional things that are being done by the owner, such as an additive to the paint that reduces the scent. Also, the owner is in the process of contracting for extensions on the exhaust that come out of the paint booths. The idea is perhaps, if the exhaust is higher in altitude or in the air, it will be less of an impact on surrounding residents. Residents need to understand that things continue to happen. Don't lose faith. Continue to monitor and report when a problem is detected. The city will continue to do its part to find a resolution. Councilman Gareau said he agreed with the Mayor, but wanted to add that the Level of intensity with which the city works must remain constant and it must be high. If the owner is not thinking about this first thing in the morning and last thing at night, we are not doing our job. The pressure, dialogue and the intensity the city maintains cannot waiver. It has to be at the exact same level, and it must stay that way and it must be extraordinarily high. He fears that in the winter months with the climate change, it will seem like the problem is solved. But next summer, the problem will be back. The time to check and make sure the problems are being addressed is now. Mayor O'Grady said he agreed. This is not just a matter of inconvenience, it is a matter of the health and welfare of our citizens. It is not something we take lightly. He assured that Director Dubelko from a legal standpoint and Director Terbrack from an administrative standpoint understand exactly what was said. We will get it done one way or the other. 7 ~~_ .; -